Baseball glove



May 7 1940- R. LE MAT BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Jan. 21, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 7 1940. R. LE MAT 2,200,204

BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Jan. 21, 1938 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 7,v 1940 UNITED STATES rATENT orrics 18 Claims.

This invention relates to baseball gloves, and has for its prime object to provide certain new and useful features of construction whereby the impact of a ball within the palm of theglove will effect an automatic inward folding of the nger and thumb portions of the glove causing' a con-- sequent automatic inward folding ci the thumb and fingers of the hand, thereby producing an automatic and effective gripping of the hand around the ball in addition to the hand manipulation of the glove by-theuser thereof.

While the glove of the present invention may be padded to any preferred degree, lt is an important object of the invention to materially reduce 'the amount of padding, particularly in the palm and the iingerportions of the glove, thereby providing a more flexible glove capable of quicker and more effective manipulation, While at the same time affording ample protection for the hand of the user.y

Another object of the invention isto limit spreading and separation of the thumb and finger portions from one another and also from the wrist portion of the glove under the impact of a ball in the palm of the glove, thereby insuring an effective and satisfactory cupping of the glove so necessary to the catching of a ball.

A further object of the invention is to provide for, adjustably tying together the free ends of the finger, thumb and wrist portions of the glove, Awhereby' the userY may adjust the limiting connection between the several portions of the glove in `accordance with the desire of the user of the glove.

With these and other objects in view,the pres ent invention consists in the combination. and arrangement of parts, as will` be hereinafter described and 'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it of course being understood that changes in the form, proportion, site and minor details may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of thev advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevationof abaseball glove i embodying the features of the present invention. Figure 2 is an end View of Figure i looking at the Wrist end of the glove.

Figure 3 is an elevation looking at the baci: of the glove.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on. the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View on thelineS- of Figure 1.

sections of the front member l. vAs best shown 'in Figure 5, it will be seen that the back finger i section is slightly narrower than the front finger section, and corresponding longitudinal edges ofthe sections are connected by a flexible side mem-l ber t stitched or otherwise connected to the front and back members of the finger and constituting a bellows element to permit movement of the front and back members of the finger' towards and away from one another. A reinforcing fin ger tip i0, of leather or other suitable material, is stitched or otherwise secured to the outer face of each front finger portion and extending from the outer free extremity ofthe nnger section inwardly towards the palm for a suitable distance, the inner end of the part lil being pointed or V-shaped with the point extending inwardly along the` linger.

Within the interior of the glove there is a lining l l which extends over the palm .and along the lingerl sections thereof, there being suitable padding l2 included between the palm member and the lining, as best shown in Figure l of the drawings, and extending from the wrist end of the glove for a suitable distance vinto thepalrn portion of the glove. If desired, this padding may extend throughout the length of each finger section, but it has been found practicable to stop the padding at about the transverse mid portion of the palm, the lining il lying in Contact with the other half of the palm and the finger sections, thereby producing a very flexible structure capable ofy quick and effective manipulation under flexing or bending of the lingers of the hand of the user. f

As best shown in Figures l and 3 of the dravvf ings, it will be understood that the thumb portion d is contained `entirely in the palm member or blank of the glove, and the free edges thereof are brought together to form a tubular thumb member and said edges are connected together by a stitched seam i3 extending across the outer end of the thumb member and down along the inner edge thereof.

Animportant feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an abutment extending along the front side of the thumb 4 and transversely across the base portion of the palm to the outer edge thereof opposite the thumb. This abutment is shown as including three sections designated I4, I5 and I6, each section being hollow or tubular, as best shown in Figure 4, and provided with padding I'I. The exterior or casing portion of each abutment section is of leather or other suitable material, preferably in opposite longitudinal sections with their corresponding edges connected together by stitched seams I8 and I9. Preferably the outer seam I8 has the edge elements thereof turned inwardly so as to present a smooth exterior, while the other edges are turned outwardly to provide a seam which is in the form of an exterior flange, and this flange is stitched or otherwise secured to the palm section, including the thumb portion thereof. This abutment stands out at substantially right angles to the front or palm side of the glove, and the successive abutment sections taper towards one another and are flexibly connected together at 2li and 2|, whereby the abutment section I8 may move readily with the `thumb 4, and the other oppositeintermediate abutment section I5 may flex with the rear end or heel portion of the palm on the more or less stationary or fixed abutment section I5. In other words, the parts 2B and ZI constitute in effect hinges so as to enable the flexing or swinging of the abutment sections one upon'the other during the flexing of the glove under the impact of a ball in the palm of the through the slideway in order that the various 35e` the hand of the user.

wrist portion of the glove. A or depth of the abutment with respect to the palm glove and under the manipulation of the glove by It will here be explained that when a ball is received within the palm of a glove, it will contact the forward side of the abutment which will materially assist in preventing the passage of the ball rearwardly across the Moreover, the height of the glove will add to the depth of the pocket produced by the cupping of the glove under the impact of a ball and thereby aid materially in retaining the ball in the palm of the glove.

The free ends of the thumb and the lingers are iiexibly connected or tied to the wrist or heel portion of the front of the glove by a tie or strap member 22. As best shown in Figure 4, it will be seen that each finger member is provided on its front side with a guideway slidably receiving the strap. this slideway consisting of a strip of leather or other material 23 extending across the front sides of the lingers at the outer ends thereof to which its upper and lower edges are connected by stitching. The opposite ends of the strip 23 are not connected to the adjacent fingers in order that the slideway may be open at its opposite ends to enable the introduction of the strap 22 and to enable the endwise movement of the strap parts may accommodate themselves in the use of the glove and that the strap may be moved through the slideway for adjustment purposes.

`plurality of snap fastener elementsI 25.

One end portion of the strap 22 extends rearprovided with snap fastener elements 2l for cooperation with the snap fastener elements 25 whereby the ends of the strap may be adjustably connected together. By this arrangement the spreading and the rearwardly bending of the thumb and the nger portions are limited, and therefore a proper cupping of the glove is insured under the impact of a ball against the palm of the glove. By adjusting the overlapping of the free Aends of the strap 22, the thumb and the fingers may be bent inwardly more or less towards the palm of the glove in accordance with the desires of the user of the glove. As well shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the strap or tie 22 extends continuously around the periphery of the glove at the front side thereof and limits spreading and distortion of this peripheral portion of the glove under the impact of a ball in the palm of the glove, the palm being free to bend and cup, whereby the cupped shape of the glove is effectually retained resulting in effectually retaining of the ball in the palm of the glove.

The padded abutment section I5 is .of course provided with a suitable slideway for the overlapped ends of the tie member 22, one .form of slideway being shown made up of a plurality of loops 28 through which the respective ends of the tie member are lapped, thereby leaving the overlapped ends of the tie members exposed for con-r venience in adjusting the same.

While the present invention has been illustrated in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification in connection with a linger glove, it will of course be understood that itisequally applicable to catchers mitts and first basemans mitts.

I claimf l. A readily iiexible baseball glove having a flexible tie member slidably extending trans-v versely across the linger and thumb portions of y transversely across the finger portion of the glove, another slideway provided along the thumb ,I

of the glove, another slideway extending transversely across the front of the glove at the base of the palm portion thereof, and a flexible tie member extending slidably through said slideways.

4. A baseball glove having a slideway extending transversely across the finger portion of the glove, another slideway provided along the thumb of the glove, another slideway extending transversely across the front of the glove at the base of the palm portion thereof, a flexible tie member extending slidably through said slideways, said tie member having its opposite end portions lapped and provided with means for adjustably connecting said' lapped vportions together.

5. A baseball glove having a flexible strip extending transversely across the finger portion of the glove and secured thereto along the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip, the ends of the strip being free from the finger portion of the glove, said strip and the adjacent glove portion constituting an open ended slideway, and a flexible tie member extending slidably through said slideway and having its end .portions connected.

to the front of the glove at the base of the palm thereof.

6. A baseball glove provided with a padded abutment extending longitudinally along the thumb of the glove and transversely across the base of the palm portion of the glove to the opposite edge of the glove, said padded abutment being divided into flexibly connected sections to accommodate the abutment to the flexing of the glove.

7. A baseball glove provided with a padded abutment section extending transversely across the front of the glove at the base of the palm thereof, another padded abutment section extending along the thumb of the glove and flexibly connected to the first mentioned abutment section, anda third abutment section extending from the rst mentioned abutment section to the adjacent edge of the glove, successive abutment sections being flexibly connected to accommodate the abutment sections to the flexing of the glove.

8. A baseball glove having a padded abutment extending along the thumb of the glove and transversely across the base of the palm of the glove at the front side thereof, and a flexible tie member connecting the finger portion of the glove with the abutment.

9. A baseball glove provided with a padded abutment extending along the thumb of the glove and transversely across the base of the palm at the front side of the glove, and a flexible tie member extending around the abutment and transversely across the outer free end of the finger portion of the glove.

10. A baseball glove provided with a padded sectional jointed abutment extending along the thumb of the glove and across the base of the palm at the front of the glove, the finger portion of the glove being provided with an open ended slideway located at the outer free end of the linger portion of the glove, a flexible tie member extending slidably through the slideway and having its opposite end portions slidably associated with the abutmentv vand provided with means for adjustably connecting the ends of the tie member.

11. In combination with a readily flexible baseball glove an abutment on the exterior of the glove and projecting abruptly outwardly from the front face of the glove and extending across the base portion of the glove palm from a point adjacent the thumb edge of the palm to a point adjacent the small finger edge of the same, said abutment consisting of a padded somewhat flattened tubular member of flexible material disposed with its major transverse axis lying substantially at right angles to the plane of the glove palm, said abutment being separate from and stitched to the exterior of the glove palm in the position stated.

12. A readilyexible baseball glove having a padded abutment which projects abruptly outwardly from the glove palm and extends along the thumb of the glove and transversely across the base portion of the palm of the glove, and a flexible member which is connected with that end of the abutment which lies away from the thumb of the glove, said exible member extending toward the finger tip portion of the glove alongside the small finger edge of' the glove.

13. In a baseball glove a flexible tie member connected to and extending across the nger tip portion of the glove' and also connected to and extending alongside of the lateral margins and base portion of the glove palm, the portion of such tie member which extends alongside the base portion of the glove palm being arranged to receive the impact of a ball being caught to effect movement of the finger tip portion toward ball grasping position, `and a padded abutment carried by andv projecting abruptly outwardly from the base portion of the glove palm, that portion of the tie member which extends alongside the base portion of the glove palm lying behind said abutment and receiving ball impacts therethrough.

14. In a baseball glove a flexible tie member connected to and extending across the finger tip portion of the glove and also connected to and extending alongside of the lateral margins and base portion of the glove palm, the portion of such tie member which extends alongside the base portion of the glove palm being arranged to receive the impact of a ball being caught to effect movement of .the ringer tip portion toward ball grasping position.

15. In a baseball glove a flexible t-ie member connected to and extending across the linger-tip portion of the glove and also connected to and extending alongside of the lateral margins and base portion of the glove palm, the portion of such tie member which extends alongside the base portion of the glove palm being arranged to receive the impact of alball being caught to effect movement of the finger tip portion toward ball grasping position, and means for adjusting the effective length of the tie member.

16. A baseball glove provided with an abutment on the exterior of the glove and projecting outwardly at substantially right angles from the front of the palm thereof and extending transversely across the base of the palm of the glove from the base of the thumb portion of the glove to the opposite edge of the palm portion of the glove,-the palm of the glove lying below the top of the abutment and being unobstructed and freely flexible from the abutment forwardly to the outer edge of the glove, and a flexible tie member connecting the little finger end of the abutment to the forward portion of the little finger edge vof the glove.

17. A baseball glove provided on its exterior with an abutment projecting outwardly at substantially right angles thereto and extending transversely across the base of the palm of the glove from the base of thethumb portion to the opposite edge of the palm portion of the glove, the palm of the glove lying below the top of the .abutment and being unobstructed and freely flexible from the abutment forwardly to the outer edge of the glove, and a flexible tie member connecting one end of the abutment to the forward portion of the adjacent edge of the glove.

18. A baseball glove provided on its exterior with an abutment projecting outwardly at substantially right angles thereto and extendingy transversely across the base of the palm of the' glove from the base of the thumb portion of the glove to the opposite edge of the palm portion of the glove, the palm of the glove lying below the top of the abutment and being unobstructed and freely flexible from the abutment forwardly to the outer edge of the glove, and flexible tie members connecting the respective ends of the abutment to the forward portion of the adjacent edge of the glove.

RAOUL LE MAT. 

